Horse Talk 1
The world of Equestrian has many different aspects to look at, from the different riding styles to the caring and looking after of your horse or pony. All different types of people from all age groups are able to participate in this sport. Some go for the more exhilarating daring side, others enjoy the more relaxing side of the sport.
Personally my favourite branch of Equestrian is Show Jumping; I enjoy the competition and exhilaration, which is a part of Show Jumping. However there is a lot more to this area than that.
There is a lot of precision and accuracy needed in order to successfully jump even a simple course. The rider must have knowledge in the sport as well as a good understanding of how the horse moves and the distance it needs to take off before the jump in order to gain a good, clean clearance. The Horse moves in strides; as a show jumper it is your aim to hold back then accelerate you’re horse with precise timings in order to prevent gaining points (4 points are given for each jump which is not successfully cleared, the more points you have the less chance you have of being placed) by knocking the bars as well as preventing injury to you or your horse. Generally the rider will count the last three strides before the jump, making sure the horse has enough room for its stride length and speed to fit exactly three full strides in before taking off on the third. This should ensure a clear take off and landing also taking into consideration the horses ability and build. This Technique will take quite a lot of practice and understanding and will change for each horse/pony you ride.
However there is a lot more to show jumping than just getting your horse successfully over the jump points free, even though this is a big part of the sport. When Entering the competition you will be given the map of your course; this means the order in which you are to go around the course and which jumps you take you and your horse over and when. For a lot of novice riders this can be one of the most daunting parts of Show Jumping, from experience I know this was the case for me. When entering the arena there is so much going on and so much to think about it takes a lot of concentration to keep everything in toe as well as remembering which direction you are going. The trick is to walk the course a fair few times before taking in your horse in then try to block everything out when you start the competition. Try not to think too much about were you are going as this can make things very confusing, don’t panic nobody gets it perfect first time, in fact the professionals don’t even get it right every time, it is like everything else, comes with practice and experience.
Warming up is also a necessity for both you and your horse. The Horse must be warmed up sufficiently before entering the competition, this will benefit you also; warming up gets the blood pumping around the body promoting oxygenation which means increasing the oxygen in any tissue, including muscles. This results in the muscle fibres working more effectively and efficiently once they have received the extra oxygen, which is carried through the blood attached to haemoglobin molecules. This will help to prevent any injury to both you and your horse. However the warming up process must not be over done as you do not want to get tired out before the round starts. It should involve the normal warming up process which is a good 5-10minutes walking following by a light trot then a light canter, it is also a good idea to take your horse over a few practice jumps which resemble the height of the class you are entering. For those wishing to enter the more experienced and challenging classes I would recommend entering a smaller round as part of your warm up also. Rounds such as the clear round and the Novice Class are perfect for doing this. It is also important to cool you and your horse down after the competition. This can be done by a slow relaxing walk for a good 15 minutes at least this should give enough time to allow both your horses body and yours to return to resting state slowly, this should also help stop any unwanted aches and pains the next day.
One of the most enjoying parts of entering a Show Jumping competition is the preparation before hand. I tended to not ride my horse the day before a competition sometimes not 2 to 3 days depending of the intensity and importance of the competition. However in these days I would make sure she looked the part for the show. Generally the day before, weather promoting I would give her a good wash shampoo, condition, coat shine the lot. Making sure her coat was soft and shiny ready for the next day. I would then clean her hoofs and plate up her main and tail. Once all of this was done I would put her thin rug on for the night making sure she stayed clean. Followed by: a nice nutritious medium sized feed, a medium sized hay net, bucket of fresh water and brand new bedding. The next Morning I would go up the yard a good few hours before we were leaving for the show to make sure she was still clean all her plates were neat and tidy followed by some hoof oil to make them nice and shiny. Also it is important to make sure all tack is clean before the show, jumping boots for your horse are also a good idea to protect their tendons from any damage if any jumps get knocked. Depending on the show you may also be required to be dressed smart, generally meaning either cream or beige jodhpurs, smart show shirt and show jacket, correct presentable footwear as well as the most important of all your riding hat which must meet national equine standards for safety reasons.
